Broken Shadows
by charlibubble
Summary: Ronald Basderic got under her skin, he infected her soul with a fear she couldn't describe. And now he was following her. Mild spoilers for 13x02. Co-written with DearSweetPapercut.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING!: SPOILERS(ish) for 13x02**

A/N: This is something I genuinely think might happen this season. Ronald Basderic really got under Sara's skin and this was begging to be written. This is very much a co-written piece with DearSweetPaperCut... in fact I think she may have written most of this chapter! Let us know what you think! xx

She could feel his eyes on her the second she stepped out of the lab; the rain fell and a chill crossed her body as the neon lights glimmered in the distance. She could still feel the heat of his gaze. She always could, even when he wasn't immediately visible, even when she'd convince herself that he wasn't there she could feel his presence.

It made her skin crawl, knowing she had no power over him, that there was nothing she could do about the situation she had found herself in. She casted her mind back to those nights when she had talked Edie through these very feelings. When she had told her to lock the door and close the blinds and pretend he wasn't there. When she had told her that, despite everything, she was safe. Sara didn't feel safe, and neither had Edie.

"Are you coming for breakfast?" Nick's voice piped up behind her, startling her slightly dragging her out of her own head, the careful scan of the parking lot she had taught herself to do coming to a quick end.

"Uhm No... I don't feel too good" She mumbled, slinging her purse over her shoulder and making her way across the wet sheen of tarmac before them not bothering to look back knowing that Nick would be standing there watching her with a confused expression.

At times she had found herself questioning her sanity.

The little things she seemed to pick up on could so easily be explained when she put logic to the test but somewhere deep down she knew he was out there, somewhere in the shadows. He would make it obvious sometimes; he would smile and greet her much like you would a friend. Like there was nowhere else in the world he should be but standing at the end of her road or waiting in her favourite coffee shop.

Nick drove by, sounding his horn and waving through the glass and a part of her wished she had taken him up on his offer of breakfast. Now that she was alone a desperate feeling of vulnerability washed over. She hated feeling that way, she prided herself on being strong and independent - Ronald Basderic didn't make her feel that way. He made her feel like a victim, he always had.

"You look tired" His voice startled her and the gasp that found its way to her lips wouldn't be suppressed. He smirked at her, holding her wide eyed gaze. She was suddenly paralyzed, unable to move her body to escape the situation as he stepped towards her. His heels clicked on the tarmac as he moved at a slow pace as though he was counting her breaths.

"What do you want?" She almost whispered. She took a large step back and collided with her car, her hand searching for the handle hastily. Under the dim lights his clear blue eyes were hooded and dangerous.

"I'm worried about you" He stated, slow and deliberate his eyes never leaving hers. Sara swallowed the quiver in her throat and tried to suppress the urge to turn and run. He knew the law well enough not to make the mistake of touching her but just the closeness was enough to turn her stomach to knots.

"Why?" She croaked wanting more than anything to understand his motivations for constantly being near her.

"I care about you" He smiled, the expression infecting her with repulsion as it crept over her body "You've not been sleeping... your lights are on all night"

The realisation that he had been watching her at night, he had been watching her home made her breath stop in her chest. His eyes burned into her again, waiting for her response but as he took a full step towards her she knew she was going to flee.

After struggling with the latch she managed to get the driver's side door open climbing into the seat slamming it shut. He just stood there. He didn't move an inch watching her as she drove away wanting nothing more than to get away from him.

The sound of the radio did nothing to sooth her as she slowed down at the traffic lights wondering if there was any way she could have ended this. But it had all become far too real. The attention to detail he had begun paying her life giving away the vastness of her problems.

All of those promises she had made herself that she would never be back here- that she would never be a victim again had dispersed like clouds. Her life was caught in a storm. And at the centre of it was Basderic's insanity.

She had read enough studies about victimisation- she knew the statistics about how people who'd previous been victimised often found themselves stuck in the same role. And every attempt at defying those results, all of those numbers, hadn't done anything to save her.

In the end hadn't she found herself stuck beneath a car almost drowning in rain water?

Sara pulled up into the drive way of her town house, taking a deep breath she rested her head against her steering wheel knowing that tomorrow this would all start again- all of the anxiety- all of the worries.

As she stepped out into the night Sara found herself instinctively checking her fire arm, and glancing around looking for Basderic even though she knew it was not possible for him to already be there. Without wanting to over think it she rushed inside, letting the silence and stillness of her house welcome her.

With an exhausted sigh Sara picked up the mail throwing it on the coffee table with no intention of going through it now- she needed a break- she needed to unwind. She made her way to the kitchen pouring herself a glass of wine before returning to the living room switching the television on staring blankly at the screen simply enjoying the noise it was providing.

She stretched out on the sofa enjoying the tangy taste of chardonnay as it settled on her tongue, smiling at the couple arguing on Jerry Springer wondering why anyone would want to share their problems with the world. Sara couldn't help but laugh inwardly at how her life could be headlines on this show.

Throwing a glance over at the door to make sure all the bolts were still in place, she closed her eyes resting her mind listening to the chatter.

Her thoughts refused to slow down, like a train on a track they thundered through her subconscious, Basderic appearing to taunt her. It was the sound of a fist colliding with the door that woke her up, dragging her back to reality.

Sara pulled herself up right, shaking away sleep, getting a firm hold on her gun as she slowly made her way towards the door. With a deep breath for courage she undid the locks her gun firmly at her side as she opened it slightly peering through the gap.

Greg stood on the other side a frown creases his brow as he studied what was happening inside. A sigh of relief escaped Sara's lips as she opened the door further pulling him inside before slamming it shut once again doing all the locks.

"Sara...What's going on?" He stood his hands curled into fists waiting for an explanation.

"Nothing...You caught me off guard that's all" She tried to shake it off, knowing that she was no ready to tell anyone yet- she was not going to give Basderic the satisfaction of knowing that he'd gotten under her skin, that he'd scared her into rash action.

"And that's why you answered the door with a gun? Sara something's going on Nick called me... and I'm here to get it out of you" Greg said firmly his brown eyes gleaming with insistence of his position.

"I can't talk about it" She shook her head making her way to the kitchen waiting for him to follow. She picked up the bottle of wine but put it down quickly when she realised that she needed something stronger if she was going to be facing her demons tonight.

"Bourbon" Greg raised his eyebrows sitting himself down watching as she poured them each a glass off the fiery liquid. He knew Sara well enough to know she only drunk bourbon at the worst times, when she felt like she'd been smothered by problems.

"It's been a tough few weeks" She stated plainly as she sat herself down opposite him at the breakfast bar.

He didn't say a word, looking at her in a way that had her crumbling as he patiently waited for her to open up. He had a way of bringing the truth out into the atmosphere even when she didn't want to talk about it. And as Sara met Greg's eye she knew she'd made a mistake- she was going to give in- she was going to tell him.

"...Basderic has been following me" She stated simply. "And as much as I'm not trying to let it bother me...it's too much..."

"Sara..." He muttered, his hand reaching out gently stroking against hers. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I...I thought I was going insane" Sara averted her gaze. "I didn't think there was a point...he hasn't done anything...he's just there...watching me..."

Greg closed the small amount of space between them leaning across the breakfast bar pressing a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"It's going to be okay" he muttered to her. "I promise, I'm not going to let anything happen to you" Without those words he put his drink down moving around the counter pulling her into his arms. Sara held on to him tighter than she had ever done before not wanting to lose the connection they had in that moment. She buried her face in his neck, memorising the smell of his skin; the mix of cologne and cigarettes specific to him.

"Why don't you go and lie down...I'll get some food, a couple of glasses of wine and we can spend the night on the sofa? I'll stay as long as you need me too" Greg smiled pressing a kiss against her cheek pushing her towards the door back towards the living room.

"Fine...I'm going" With a small, slightly resistant smile Sara followed his instructions moving towards living room trying to relax for the first time in weeks.

"We're going to have to watch Jerry Springer and not so silently judge the people on it" She shouted from the couch with a warning tone knowing it would amuse Greg.

"That sounds fine with me...as long as we're not watching chick flicks, I'm happy" He laughed as he placed two plates on the side for them.

"You love chick flicks really" Sara retorted. "You loved 'He's just not that into you'"

"You tell lies Sara Sidle" He shouted back with a laugh.

Leaning back against the sofa Sara couldn't help but smile as a wave of something she hadn't felt in a long time washed over her body.

If she'd looked out into the darkness she would have seen him. He was standing beneath the orange glow of the streetlight, making himself known with all the wrong intentions. He was standing there his eyes burning into Greg's back as he moved about the kitchen with easy knowing his way around without having to ask.

A sense of jealousy churned in his stomach as he watched the way Sara had curled up on the sofa knowing that another man all the while was there taking a place in her life that he wanted so very much to be his own.

It was not fair- and he knew that he was going to have to change the way that things were unfolding.

Sara Sidle belonged to him and nobody was going to take that away.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello there- DearSweerPapercut here- just wanted to say I hope you enjoy/are enjoying the story. You will not believe the amount of abuse Charlie had to face for this chapter- if she does not want to run for the hills after we finish up this story I'd be surprised ;) **

The morning brought with it sunlight and birdsong, the start of the day streaming through the windows. The sounds of the city bustling with life always seemed to mingle so easily with the ambience of nature she wished she could lay in bed and listen to it all day. Instead, she stretched out her tired body and pulled the duvet around her trying to absorb its comfort and warmth.

It occurred to her that it was the first time she'd had an undisturbed night's sleep in weeks; most of the time she was haunted by nightmares, usually involving the people she loved morphing into the monster that had been lingering in every other part of her life; Basderic.

She would get up in search of water and clarity and he would be there, under the street light just watching, waiting for her to appear. Sara would find herself glancing half heartedly out of window knowing he would be there. She wondered if he ever slept, if he even paused to live his own life rather than shadowing hers.

She padded quietly into the living room, peering over at Greg sleeping soundly on the sofa; he had refused to leave after their Jerry Springer marathon. It wasn't the first time he had taken up residence on her sofa and she knew it wasn't going to be the last. She had been incredibly grateful for his presence last night and his presence had soothed her tortured mind a lot more than she had realised.

For once she had been able to unwind for long enough to forget the person in the shadows.

Knowing Greg was there had made her feel safe, the vulnerability she'd forced herself to endure alone had melted away. He was with her; he would not let her get hurt. With a soft smile towards his sleeping form she opened the front door and came face to face with the embodiment of all her fears.

Her heart stopped in her chest, the breath was caught in her chest as she froze on the spot her mind in overdrive not telling her body to move. Basderic's eyes held their unwavering gaze as he stood toe to toe with her. She could feel his breath brushing her skin, the warmth of his body penetrated the cold air around them and she could smell the musk of his cologne as it settled on his skin.

"Good morning Sara" He smiled.

It never failed to catch her off guard when he greeted her so casually; it was almost like he thought he was an old friend stopping by for coffee uninvited. He stood there with her newspaper and milk bottle in his hand waiting for an invitation.

"What are you doing here?" She asked defiantly, feeling as though her entire body was trembling as he studied the small quivers of her breath.

"Put down the newspaper and step away" Greg growled from behind her.

His weapon was drawn, aimed between Basderic's eyes over her(?) shoulder. She hadn't heard him moving from the sofa, assuming he was unaware in his own dreams during her stilted attempts at conversation with the very man that had been driving her towards the point of insanity.

Ronald was still smiling; his eyes fixing on her before taking a large backwards step. He crouched to the ground, placing the newspaper and milk on the ground before holding his hands up and slowly backing away along the path.

His smile never faltered- it was as persistent and unnerving as his agonizing gaze.

The way in which his clear blue gaze had studied her forced a shiver to wind up her spine. He was so controlled, his facade never slipped and it caused her to wonder if he genuinely believed the intricate fantasies he'd created.

Greg quickly stepped around her, training his weapon on the retreating man. Sara watched him as he did so- the contempt in his eyes and fixed jaw were all new to her. She was used to easy going, laid back Greg. The man who had a joke and a smile for every occasion, it concerned her to see him so angry.

It reminded her that he had every reason to be and so did she. It invalidated the stance she had taken of simply just accepting her fate.

"I ought to shoot you right now" Greg hissed as he closed the space between them.

But Basderic's eyes continued to burn into Sara from where he stood; it was as if despite the distance Greg had put between them he still maintained that small piece of control.

"I'm not doing anything wrong" He commented.

"Yeah, you made sure of that, did you?" Greg questioned with raised eyebrows.

Basderic's smile widened- his eyes hungrily cast over Sara's body taking in every detail from her bare feet to the gentle curl in her hair left over from slumber. He shrugged one shoulder, licking his lips as he did so and Greg saw red. He pressed the gun to Basderic's head, grasping his jacket with a clenched fist.

"Now, now Mr. Sanders... you wouldn't want me to accuse you of police brutality would you?" Basderic questioned, holding his calm demeanour all too easily.

Sara stepped out onto the lawn, her hand grasping Greg's shoulder and pulling him back inside. The grass tickled between her toes, a breeze captured the soft silk of her pyjama making her shiver slightly.

"Leave it Greg. Come back inside" She muttered, unable to keep the disgust from her voice.

"Get out of here" Greg demanded in a low harsh tone pushing Basderic backwards as he quickly turned and steered Sara inside.

"I'll be seeing you..." Basderic smirked as he stood, unmoving on the sidewalk.

Sara clutched at Greg's hand, keen to get him inside before he did something that got them both in trouble. She had to admit that her plan to ignore Basderic was not working. If anything her ignorance seemed to only encourage him further and he had been gradually pushing his boundaries further and further. Experience told her that the police couldn't do too much to help her; he was smart enough not to break any laws although she could sense he was slipping.

Greg's presence had clearly got to him. He had never gone as far as to appear at her front door. He preferred to intimidate her from a distance. She wasn't sure if igniting jealousy was a good thing or not, the last thing she needed was to pull Greg into all of this. He didn't need to become a target because of her.

"Maybe we should call the police?" Greg muttered as he peered out through the blinds.

Sara locked the door, pressing her hands against the cool wood and closing her eyes to gather her thoughts. When she turned his eyes were trained on her, a soft expression filling the deep hazel pupils. He was worried about her and she knew there wasn't a lot she could do to abate his fears.

"They can't do anything..." She argued, forcing a smile to her lips that didn't reach her eyes. "I'll be fine"

"You know you can't fool me Ms Sidle..." He insisted folding the blanket he had thrown off the sofa in his haste to attack Basderic.

Greg could always see through every one of her defence mechanisms and he knew it. He always had done- it had been the very reason their friendship had endured for so long. Every time she snapped or lashed out he would know why, he would be there pulling her aside to talk, to try and fix things.

And after all of these years she realised that there was no point denying Basderic was bothering her, her only hope was changing the subject.

"You want some breakfast?" Sara life shrugged more than anything wanting her back to normal.

He kept his eyes on her as she moved through the kitchen, retrieving everything she needed to make pancakes for breakfast. Greg slipped onto a stool at the breakfast bar leaning on his elbow's pondering what to do next.

"Maybe we should tell Brass... he can rough him up a bit" He grinned at the idea.

Sara smirked in response, mixing the pancake batter as she waited for the stove to heat up. She had thought about telling Brass before and Greg was right, he would not take kindly to Basderic's fascination with her. Brass was likely to fly off the handle and end up with a lawsuit on his hands which would only make the situation worse.

"No. Brass doesn't need to know" She insisted firmly. "The police department doesn't need the hassle right now. Basderic will have thought of that"

Greg nodded, toying with the fruit settling in the bowl in front of him distractedly. He sat bolt upright as the precariously stacked fruit began rolling over the countertop, flashing Sara a sheepish grin as he replaced them in the bowl.

Sara slid a plate of pancakes in front of him with narrowed eyes, sliding onto a stool beside him and dousing hers with maple syrup.

"These are amazing" He said through a mouthful.

"Thanks... Gil taught me how to make them" She shrugged "I always missed them when he was away"

Greg paused for a, long, moment thinking about Grissom. He was out there somewhere oblivious to the fact that Sara was in danger- he knew that Sara was likely to be smiling and carefree on Skype. She wouldn't speak about it over the phone. She was a master of pretending everything was ok when in actual fact everything was crumbling at her feet.

"You know... you should tell him" He stated, watching her from the corner of his eye.

Sara whipped her head round to glare at him and he pretended to be interested in his plate. Grissom had been a bit of a taboo subject with her lately. He wasn't sure why and he wasn't brave enough to ask but whenever Grissom's name cropped up she immediately raised her hackles.

It was a stark contrast to the love and joy he had once seen light her eyes at the mere suggestion of her husband. He wondered what had happened to take that away and more importantly why she had chosen not to tell him about it. He prided himself on being her confidante. Sara had told him things even her husband didn't know and he was always there as a shoulder to cry on or just an ear to listen.

He realised that lately she had been distancing from him. As the team had changed- the dynamics of everyone's relationships changed he found that he felt a little lost like he had lost his best friend role while he made new friendships and relationships. It made him sad to think that he may have lost the closeness he once shared with Sara.

"We should go to Home Depot" He declared suddenly "We can get some cool security gadgets... I'd like to nominate a moat full of man eating sharks with lasers"

"Calm down Dr Evil" She laughed "I think that may be slight overkill"

"Well... maybe but we could get some window locks and stuff" He muttered, sliding her plate from under her and snatching the last slice of pancake before taking them both to the sink. "You go get dressed, I'm sure I can handle a couple of plates"

"I'll be back soon Marry Poppins don't get too carried away will you" Her laugh chiming through the house as she quickly made her way upstairs to the bathroom.

Greg shook his head slightly as he began tidying the kitchen secretly enjoying the return of the rapport they had once had. As he washed the soap suds away from the plates he found himself gazing out of the window at the garden they had spent many golden summers in wondering where those simple days a disappeared too. Life had most certainly taken a darker turn...and the embodiment of it stood there, just on the right side of legal, watching their every move.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So I feel the need to apologise for where this chapter ends. It's rather angsty when I had intended to keep it a bit lighter to counteract the angst in the rest of the story but I guess this is relevant to where it goes eventually... Looking forward to hearing what you think :) Charli xx  
**  
Sara emerged a short time later, her pyjama's replaced with jeans and a red top. She pulled her hair into a hair band and quirked a smile at him as he lounged on the sofa pretending he hadn't a care in the world.

"Ready to turn this place into Alcatraz?" He smiled, stumbling to his feet quickly.

"Alcatraz was a prison you couldn't escape from Greg..." She rolled her eyes, snatching her purse from the counter on her way past.

"Oh... right. Bad choice of analogy" Greg shrugged.

He stepped outside in front of her, taking in every inch of the world visible from his position. He had to be sure it was safe, Basderic wasn't known for shying away just because he had been spotted but there was no sign of him and they walked to her car side by side.

Home Depot was across town. Sara couldn't say she came here often, in fact the last time her home had seen a lick of paint was when she had first moved in with Grissom. They had spent a beautiful weekend together, completely undisturbed in their new home creating a cocoon, a sanctuary.

She could distinctly remember the colors they had picked out together, the smell of fresh paint that hovered around the house for days afterwards, the way they had laughed and playfully stroked paint onto each others skin in a mock paint fight. She missed those days, when she was so wrapped up in happiness that nothing could break through.

Things with Grissom had been strained lately. They never seemed to have the time for each other anymore despite their promises and best efforts at keeping their relationship alive. Every time they spoke it inevitably ended in an argument and it had gotten so bad that she was actively avoiding speaking to him now.

"You know... whatever it is that's on your mind... you can tell me" Greg muttered, glancing at her before turning his eyes back to the road. "Whether its Basderic... or Grissom... or the price of cheese... or Grissom"

He raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to hit him with some kind of revelation but nothing was forthcoming, just a weak little nod and a shrug of her shoulders as the store loomed in front of them.

Greg pulled into a space and ran around the vehicle to open her door, snapping her out of her silent thoughts immediately with his wide excited grin. She would never understand why men always seemed to get so excited about a DIY store.

The greeter at the front door nodded at them politely and half-heartedly directed them to the security aisles. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with products, wide concrete bottomed aisles bustled with activity as people walked back and forth with carts fully loaded.

Greg had suddenly disappeared, leaving her to wander aimlessly down aisle 17, glancing at row upon row of fire-proof, burglar-proof, life-proof safe's. safe's with electronic locks, mechanical locks and even one with fingerprint technology. She shook her head wondering when technology had progressed that far.

"Hey, hop on!" Came Greg's voice behind her as he screeched around the corner pushing a flatbed shopping cart.

Sara narrowed her eyes and shook her head as he continued to grin and wait expectantly.

"I am not hopping on" She deadpanned, walking away from him and continuing down the aisle.

Greg pushed off and rode the cart like a scooter, whizzing past her.

"Come on... it'll be fun. When was the last time you had fun?"

Sara paused for a second. Her heart fell when she realized that she genuinely couldn't remember how long it had been since she'd laughed uncontrollably and really let go. With a quick glance around to make sure there was no-one here she knew she sent Greg a half-smile and climbed onto the cart.

"That's more like it Ms Sidle" Greg responded, twirling the cart around dramatically "Welcome to shopping cart tours. My name is... Lance... I'll be your guide today"

"Lance?" She remarked, raising a delicate eyebrow "Really?"

"What's wrong with Lance?" He protested, building up speed along the wide aisle and jumping onto the back of the cart as it flew past the lines of safe's and security lights.

The other customer's sent them disapproving sideways glances as they passed but Sara realized she didn't care. Greg was right, it had been far too long since she had had any real fun.

Greg beared right, the small plastic wheels of the cart struggling to grip the sheer concrete floor as they rolled into a different department. The lights strung from every available space above them twinkled like stars. Greg pushed off again, reaching out and pulling a pink lampshade from a shelf and placing it on her head, the decorative tassels tickling her nose.

He reached out again and placed a green floral shade on top of his own head before suddenly twisting the cart and jumping onto the flatbed by her side.

The world spun around them, every so often Greg's foot pushing off the ground to prolong their momentum. All the lights blurred into one long circle of white light and Sara felt like her stomach muscles were about to give up the ghost. She hadn't laughed so much in such a long time.

"Hey!" A loud booming voice filled their ears and Greg shot her a wicked grin before launching himself off the cart and breaking into a run, the security guard in hot pursuit.

"Greg! let me get off!" She cried, as they tore through the store as fast as Greg's legs could run.

"Never break character Lady Guenevere" He smirked, clumsily turning a corner making her grip the edges of the cart in fear of tumbling off.

They came face to face with the irate glare and iron foot of a burly security guard, halting their runaway cart in an instant. Sara sheepishly slid the lampshade from her head and averted her eyes to her feet as the other patron's looked on in a mixture of amusement and distaste.

"I'm gonna have to ask you to leave" The guard declared.

Greg helped Sara to her feet, leading her out of the store by her hand as she felt a flush of embarrassment color her cheeks. She didn't look up until she was safely strapped into the car and far from the judgmental eyes of the Home Depot clientele.

"Sorry..." He muttered as the silence filled the small space between them. When he lifted his eyes to hers she was animated, relaxed and smiling that wide, genuinely happy smile he hadn't seen in so long.

"Least we got this dashing lamp shade 'Lance'" She smirked as Greg realized that he was still wearing his headgear.

"I'll get Greg to return this later" He remarked, throwing it into the backseat and glancing at the clock "We better get to work..."

Sara nodded, the hilarity of their adventures wearing off suddenly as the reality of the day dawned on her. She was overcome by that feeling of foreboding that had become her constant companion lately. The knot settled back in her stomach as she stared out of the window at the city passing them by.

"Hey, you ok?" Greg muttered as they pulled into the lab.

She felt strangely safe here normally. Basderic wasn't foolish enough to follow her into work, he knew that the entire weight of the LVPD would descend on him should she utter a word to Jim Brass. He was smarter than that, he knew her routine like it belonged to him. He knew where she ate, where she got her coffee, when she was due at the dentist or the doctor's surgery. He knew where and when to find her at most times of the day and that was somehow more concerning than if he simply followed her all the time.

"I'm fine. Looks like we're in for a busy night" She commented, noting the police officers spilling out of the building in a hurry.

She had been right. The night passed by in a blur of fast paced cases and deadlines she could barely keep up with. By the end of her shift Greg was nowhere to be seen but she was thankful for that. His companionship had been a breath of fresh air but she valued her alone time and now, her body weak and withered she felt herself craving a hot bath and a glass of wine.

The past few weeks had taught her to hurry inside her home for fear of being forced into a conversation she was less than comfortable with. He was around, she could tell as soon as she pulled into the driveway by the way her body reacted. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up and a shiver crossed her spine. With a deep breath she secured all the locks on the front door and wandered around the house at a quick pace drawing the blinds and checking the locks.

She left the kitchen to last, she wasn't sure why as it always seemed to be the place where she saw him. Sure enough he stood there watching from the sidewalk, the shadows of his eyes only highlighted by the dim orange hue of the streetlight.

The sound of the telephone ringing made her jump and break her angry glare at the icy blue eyes watching her. Her entire body seemed to be alive with a nervous energy. She could feel every cell in her body trembling as she struggled to control her breathing enough to answer the phone.

"Hello...?" She answered in a meek voice.

A part of her expected to hear Basderic on the other end. It wouldn't be the first time he had called while watching her silhouette moving through the house.

"Sara..." The sound of her husband's voice should have been a reassurance but in actual fact it only heaped more burdens on her weary shoulders. With a sigh, she peered outside at the shadowy figure of Basderic and dropped the kitchen blind.

"Gil... now's really not the time..."

Sara began to wander around the house double and triple checking the windows and blinds. Every now and then he would catch her eye again as he slowly followed her movements.

"It's never the time..." He grumbled, the sound of papers shuffling in the background making her roll her eyes involuntarily. The last time they spoke weighed heavily on her mind as she ran through the hurtful things they had said to each other in the heat of the moment.

"Look... I know we have some... stuff... to sort out"

"The 'stuff' we need to sort out is our marriage Sara." He cried, automatically launching into an argumentative state.

Sara knew she couldn't deal with another argument right now. Basderic was hovering around like a shadow and she already felt more alone than she ever had.

"I know. I know it is and I'm sorry but I just can't do this right now" She tried, and failed to keep the quiver from her voice.

"I'm not sure I can do this at all. You haven't spoken to me for almost a month..." Grissom pressed, it was clear the state they had left things between them was weighing on his mind as much as it had hers.

"I know." She sighed, pressing her spare hand on the door and peering through the spyhole.

He was still there. Standing, watching, waiting for her to let her guard down. To take out the trash or order a pizza. Her eyes closed and her forehead rested on the cool wood for a long moment. She knew she should tell Grissom. He was her husband, he could be there protecting her, defending her, holding her close and keeping her safe but in all honesty she wasn't even sure he would come and she couldn't deal with the rejection right now.

"Are you going to tell me whats going on?"

Sara turned, leaning heavily on the door. Turning her back on Basderic and trying desperately to get the thought of him out of her mind.

"There's nothing going on...I'm just...busy." She insisted.

"This isn't going to go away." Grissom argued "We need to decide what to do about this."

His choice of words was poor. She was suddenly flooded with memories of the times she had cried over him, the times he had pushed her away and left her feeling hollow and empty and completely worthless. She felt that way now and that flared her temper.

"'This'...?" She yelled, feeling all her frustrations welling up at once "what is 'this' exactly? 'this' hasn't been a marriage for a long time Gil so don't make out like this is all my fault."

"That's not what I meant." Grissom muttered, his voice falling.

"You always say that." Sara spat.

It was true, she was growing tired of listening to him telling her she had misunderstood.

"Look maybe I should come home for a while... we obviously have things we need to discuss." He offered one last fiber of hope but she realized she didn't want him here. She didn't want him seeing her so broken and using it as explanation for all the problems they were having when she knew that things went much deeper than her issues at home.

"Don't bother, I'm done with all this." She remarked flippantly.

"What are you saying?" He asked, his interest finally piqued.

"I'm tired of fighting with you all the time. I... I need to go."

She could hear movement on the other side of the door as tears spilled from her eyes and dropped to the floor making patterns on the deep, dark wood.

"If you hang up now I'm done. I'm not chasing after you again." Grissom declared. An ultimatum at the worst of times.

Sara steadied her breath and fixed her jaw as she slid the length of the door until she was seated on the floor. The sound of shuffling outside the door grew louder and she knew he was there, listening to her words, absorbing her sorrow pretending it belonged to him.

"Fine." was the only word she could manage, her defiance failing as she ended the call and dropped the phone to the floor, letting sobs overwhelm her.


	4. Chapter 4

The sound of a fist colliding with the door startled her. Her heart began racing too fast to keep up with and her breath caught in her chest. With every thump of the door her throat constricted further, her head pounded along with it. She couldn't remember ever feeling terror like this before. She should be safe, she was in her own home. This should be her sanctuary.

Hot tears slid down her face as she clutched the phone to her chest and closed her eyes praying that he would go away. She wanted to be alone, she had to grieve for the end of her relationship and the dark turn her life had taken.

"Sara?!" She shut out the sound even though it should be a comforting one "Sara, its Greg... are you here?"

She willed her body to open the door and let him inside. He would hold her in his arms, absorb her sorrow. He would pour her a drink and listen to her rambling with all the patience and comfort she expected him to but she was paralyzed by fear.

She willed her mouth to form words and call out to him but nothing happened and she was well aware that he would assume she was not home. The lights were all off, the blinds all drawn. She heard him dialling the phone and the ringing sound echoed around the house, she let it drop to the floor with a clatter. Terror gripping her soul again and as she heard his footsteps getting further and further away she felt all her hope leaving with him.

Sara forced herself to her to the sofa. She couldn't sleep in the bedroom, there were too many memories she couldn't face right now. Too many happy times that she had to let go of now they were over. She had held onto the remains of their relationship for so long it proved almost impossible to let go.

She slept a restless sleep on the sofa, the blanket that wound around her still smelled of Greg, it brought her a small amount of comfort as it enclosed her in its embrace and sleep washed over her. Dreams overpowered her, bringing to light all the inner turmoil she worked hard to suppress.

Daylight woke her, bursting through the windows like a fanfare. With a shiver winding up her spine in anticipation Sara drew the living room curtains aside opening them up to the view of the road outside. Basderic was nowhere to be seen a smile sigh of relief escaping her lips as her eyes drew across the scene.

The glimmer paintwork of a black car in the distance caught her eye as the head lights flashed. She narrowed her eyes to see the person on the driver's side waving at her with a warm smile tugging at his lips. She shouldn't have been surprised to see him, or annoyed by his presence but she found herself feeling a strange mixture of both as she stared at him sitting there. With a shake of her head Sara pulled out her phone, frowning as the dial tones filled her ears.

"I can see you, you know..." She began.

Greg waved again, making no secret of his position.

"I'm not exactly hiding out here" He explained.

Sara sighed, holding the fabric of the thick curtains aside and scanning the street in front of her. An elderley couple strode by hand in hand, a mother took her children to school, a young man rushed by with a dog on a lead. It seemed like any other morning and yet she felt the knot of despair tighten in her stomach as she glanced over the little insight into reality playing out before her eyes.

"What are you doing Greg?" She asked in a dull tone, with pursed lips.

"I'm...on surveillance duty" He replied with a smile.

"I see...and what exactly are you surveying?" She laughed resting one hand firmly on her hip studying the way he was shifting in his seat across the road from her.

"Oh stuff...I saw a squirrel...and your neighbour's cat getting into a fight... That birman is vicious" He stated knowingly.

"I see...well, why, don't you just head home Gregory... I think you've had enough excitement for the day..." She laughed, waving at him to signify goodbye.

"You're not even going to offer me a coffee?" He teased.

"I'm fresh out of coffee" She lied.

She was grateful for the sight of a friendly face in the morning but the last thing she needed right now was two men following her.

"Go home. I'll be fine" She soothed.

"I guess you're right..." He clicked his tongue. "I'll swing by to pick you up before work, bye..."

She hung up the phone with a deep breath, placing it in her pocket unable to stop a smile from tugging at her lips as she watched him. Greg turned the ignition, Marilyn Manson filling the car like a deafening sound as he got into gear. But as he cast his eyes in Sara's direction he could feel his heart stop dead in his chest. The shadow looming over her as she smiled back at him filled him with dread but she assumed he was waving goodbye as she slowly turned on her heel.

"Sara..." The sound of his voice sent shivers up her spine as she found herself frozen. "I got you a glass of wine" She turned to see Basderic standing there with two glasses of wine in his hands, one for the each of them.

"Get out" She found herself feeling breathless as he placed them on coasters.

"But I thought we could talk..." He stated his eyes not dropping her gaze. "I'm trying to protect you... do you know there's a man watching your house?"

"Just go..." Sara shook her head.

"Who is he Sara?" He said with wide eyes glancing out the window to see Greg climbing out of his car his hands gripped firmly around his gun. "I hope he's not trying to take you away from me"

Sara stepped away from him, her back colliding with the glass off the window but with nothing else he turned away from her making his way towards the back door knowing that he did not have long till Greg appeared.

The front door swung open as Greg used the spare key Sara had given him to get in, his gun drawn and ready to shoot.

"Stay here" He instructed Sara firmly as he made his way in the direction Basderic had disappeared in. Sara found herself with nothing to do but to stand, her hands curled up into fists hoping not to hear the sound of gun shots. Her breath seemed to choke in her thoat, not quite making the journey to freedom on her lips.

He made his way to the open back door looking out into the garden but there was no one to be seen, the trees rustling. Greg slammed the door shut keeping his gun ready as he checked all the back rooms carefully before moving back into the living room.

Greg turned placing his gun on the coffee table breathlessly pulling her into his arms as she shivered against his frame.

"It's going to be okay..." He muttered to her, one hand rubbing circles on the small of her back the other tangled in her hair. "He's gone...its okay..."

"Sara you can't stay here" Greg stated as she moved away from him wrapping her arms around herself moving towards the kitchen.

"I'm not leaving..." She shook her head pouring herself a glass of wine.

"Come and stay with me...at least until we figure out something to do about Basderic" He pleaded with her to understand and listen.

"I can't do that" She continued ignoring his concerns.

"Okay...then call Grissom...tell him that you need him here...I'm not letting you stay on your own not with that psychopath out there" Greg tensed his jaw, shaking his head.

"Fine" Sara held her hands up in defeat realising that there was no way she was going to win this argument. "I'll get my stuff" With a deep breath she made her way past him up the stairs.

When Sara returned a small suitcase at her side she could see Greg peering out of the window in the living room, anxiously keeping an eye out for Basderic. She cleared her throat to let him know she was there.

They made their way out of the house in silence that lingered on the whole way back to Greg's apartment. He carried her suitcase to the spare bedroom leaving Sara to settle down in the living room.

"I don't want to impose..." She stated as she nervously stood by the sofa.

"You're my best friend...I'm happy that you're here...you're not imposing" He insisted with a smile kissing her cheek. "Now make yourself comfortable, I'll get us some beers"

Sara sat down, switching on the TV as Greg returned throwing himself into the seat beside her, handing her a beer while trying to figure out what they were watching. The way she was avoiding talking about, or talking to Grissom concerned him.

"Look...Sara I get it's your marriage and I don't want to over step any boundaries...but I really think you should tell Grissom what's going on..."

"Greg..." She stopped talking biting her lip realising that despite her best efforts she knew she was going to have to tell him what happened.

"I know it's hard to talk about..." He took a deep breath, taking a swing from his beer.

"It's over" The words just spilled out before she had a chance to take them back. Greg turned to face her with raised eyebrows trying to figure out what she'd just said. "We had an argument...And I just told him I couldn't do this anymore...The distance, the fighting..."

"I'm so sorry Sara..." He whispered not knowing how else to respond.

"Don't be...It was bound to happen" She stated plainly as Greg pulled her into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, letting him hold her close, listening to the sound of his heart beat beneath his shirt.

He pulled away carefully meeting her eye hoping to see some honesty, she took a deep breath, stroking a hand across his cheek. There was nothing but adoration in the way she was carefully studying his feature and Greg could feel his stomach tying into knots.

Silently Sara leant forwards kissing him tenderly, her lips brushing against his with sensitivity while she pressed her body against his. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room as they exchanged soft kisses their arms tangled around each other.

"We shouldn't do this..." He whispered as they pulled away from each other. "I don't want to take advantage of you..." Greg insisted wide eyed.

"It's fine...I understand..." Sara moved away from him. "You know...I have a bit of a headache...I'm just going to head to bed..." She spoke quickly getting up and moving away refusing to meet Greg's eye as she left.

Greg sat back on the sofa, exhaling slowly as he realised he had just turned her down when she needed him most. He recognised her need to be close to someone and to feel wanted but at this moment she was vulnerable and facing the breakdown of her marriage. Right now she needed him as a friend much more than she needed him as a lover.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I should apologise for how long this took me... you see I figured that the Sandle-ness would be taken care of by resident Sandle-r DearSweetPapercut and well... you know what Grissom says about assuming. This was my chapter and it was not in my comfort zone AT ALL. Not only do I rarely write Sandle but I write fluff even less so this was... challenging to say the least and DearSweetPapercut had no sympathy for me whatsoever! Anyway, the plus side is... the finale is already finished so this should be complete by Sunday. Please Read and Review - Charli xx**

Sara found that she was actually able to sleep at Greg's place. The threat of Basderic had effectively been removed by Greg's company and for the first time in what felt like a lifetime she had no trouble falling into a deep, soothing slumber.

The only problem with that were the dreams she found herself experiencing. It wouldn't be the first time Greg had come to her in a dream, it wouldn't be the first time he had made her squirm and call his name but it was the first time she'd ever felt such an earth shattering connection to him.

She woke in a cold sweat, breathless and overwhelmed. Her entire body throbbed and the warmth of embarrassment coloured her cheeks. It had been so long since she'd last had sex she had forgotten exactly what it felt like to have a powerful reaction like that and she suddenly found herself laying there craving the real thing.

"Sara?" Came Greg's cautious call from behind the door and she found herself frozen, her laboured breathing seeming to only increase in volume as she wished she could disappear "I heard you calling me... is everything ok?"

Sara pressed her eyes tightly together and let out a long, calming breath. It was clear she had cried out his name in her sleep, she just had to hope it wasn't clear to him why.

"I'm fine" She breathed as she opened the door a crack, her hand clutching the doorframe for support. She smiled at him, her cheeks colouring a deep red when she realised he was barely a breath away from her. She could smell the rich scent of his cologne as it mingled with his skin, she could see the warm tones in his eyes as he studied her with a slight frown on his brow.

"You're sure? You're acting kinda... weird" He stated, taking a small step backwards, glancing over her guarded stance and nervous posture. "You want breakfast?"

Sara realised that by hanging onto the door like a shield she was making it more than obvious that she was trying to hide. She tried to shrug off the blush colouring her cheeks to no avail as she stepped out of the bedroom and crossed the hallway.

"Sure" She stated as flippantly as she could manage.

She pretended not to notice the way his eyes cast over her or the way he followed her downstairs like he couldn't take his eyes off her. She reminded herself bluntly that she was probably releasing some strong pheromones if her hormones were running as haywire as her dreams led her to believe. Greg really had no control over it at all she decided, declaring internally that there was no sexual attraction between them in reality but she knew that was entirely false.

She and Greg had always shared an attraction that simmered under the surface. He may have stopped shamelessly chasing her around the lab but the tension between them had never fully distilled and she could feel it in the air as she slid into a chair at the dining table and glanced up at his intense stare.

"What's going on?" He pressed, clearly confused and concerned by her behaviour.

"Nothing" She shrugged, averting her eyes and fiddling with her fingernails.

Greg slowly took the seat across from her. His hands closed around hers and cocooned them in a warm embrace as his soft expression tried to pull a confession from her lips.

"Did you have a nightmare?" He whispered.

"You could say that..." She nodded, unable to keep the embarrassed smile from tugging at her lips. "I'm fine... I'm sorry if I woke you"

Greg suddenly removed himself from the table and grinned down at her excitedly.

"I was already awake... I've been making breakfast"

With that he turned on his heel and marched into the kitchen gesturing over his shoulder for her to follow. When she stood and cast her eyes over the kitchen she saw devastation. Pots and pans filled every available surface, eggshells lay on the counter and burnt slices of toast were stacked beside the sink.

"Did a hurricane blow through here or something?" She teased; walking round the counter to peer at what he was cooking.

"Very funny!" He muttered "I made your favourite"

Sara peered into the concoction half hoping he had got it wrong. Sometimes she wondered if he knew more about her than she did herself. As she made her way across the sheer floor her foot slipped from under her and she skidded along the floor, falling heavily into Greg's outstretched arms.

With a gasp she found herself seeking out his eyes as they burned into her, his strong arms never moving from her body as she clung to him. His soft smile never faltered and she felt that familiar flush of red rushing to her cheeks.

"You sure you're ok?" He wondered out loud as he helped her to her feet, their eyes somehow locked in a battle of wills.

"I guess I slipped on some of the carnage you left behind" She remarked, spotting the egg white smearing the floor.

"Hey... what I do is art... art is messy" He shrugged, turning back to his cooking.

Sara loitered behind him, peering over his shoulder. She could feel his rhythmic breathing as it filled his chest, she could feel the warmth of his body as it enveloped her, she could see the way he nervously licked his lips before turning to face her again. She realised she was probably violating his personal space by standing so close but nothing she could do would make her body step away from his. They were like magnets, hopelessly drawn together and unable to resist.

"Sara..." Greg began quietly. She could sense a protest as he turned and she found her hand resting on his firm chest, feeling his heartbeat as it pulsed through her fingertips.

He leaned towards her, tilting his head slightly the skin of their cheeks brushing together lightly and softly forcing a gasp from her lips. They stood there frozen in their moment as their breath mingled and their hearts raced. She could feel the bristle of his stubble, she could map out the path of the blood vessels in his neck, she could feel him nervously swallowing the lump in his throat but she stopped herself from pressing her lips to his. It had backfired last night, when she felt vulnerable and undesirable, she had crossed a line and he had been gentlemanly enough to brush it off just as she had.

She knew she couldn't push that again, she knew that the next move had to be his. With a sigh she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. He visibly relaxed, his hands finding her waist and then sliding up her back as he held her there attempting to absorb all the sorrow and turmoil in her soul.

"Thank you..." She whispered into his ear as she rested her head on his shoulder and melted into his gentle embrace.

Greg stood, confused and bewildered by her behaviour but grateful for the fact that he didn't have to offer her another rejection.

He loved Sara, it was a conclusion he had come to a long, long time ago and one that never faded even after such a long time of being the best friend in the background he never once grudged her a 3am phone call or a mid-date interruption. The fact was he was forever scared of making the wrong decision with Sara.

"Sara... I think we need to talk" He mumbled, pressing his eyes closed as he untangled from her arms.

She stood before him, wide eyed and looking like she had the weight of the world on his shoulders and he wondered if maybe he should just be the guy who takes her to bed and forgets about the consequences. He could make her forget about all her problems, even if it was only for a short time.

"You're right..." She stated simply, removing herself from the kitchen without another word. He followed her into the living room, finding her perched uncomfortably on the edge of the couch.

"I...Uhm... Are you ok?" He stumbled, nerves getting the better of him as he looked down on her.

"I had a dream about you..." She began, avoiding his gaze "I guess it messed me up a little... I'm sorry"

Greg crouched in front of her, taking her hand into his and forcing her eyes to fall on him.

"Don't apologise, I have dreams about you all the time" He grinned.

"I'm sorry about last night too..." She muttered.

"Yeah well... it took all my self-control to stop you, you know" He shrugged, sliding onto the space by her side. "I've thought about... kissing you... a lot" He confessed. "None of those fantasies had me saying no"

Sara chuckled, turning to face him "I didn't expect you to say no either... you're a good man"

Greg shrugged, suddenly feeling incredibly sheepish about his confession as an awkward silence settled between them. Greg desperately scanned the recesses of his mind for a conversational subject to break the mood but came up blank.

"You know if this were a Romantic Comedy you'd be the hero" She smiled, nudging him playfully with her hip.

Greg laughed nervously thinking about all the predictable rom-com's he had watched on this very sofa with her. They would settle in for the night with a massive bowl of popcorn perched between them and embark on a sarcastic commentary of the movie that inevitably ended with a popcorn fight and a stack of empty wine bottles.

"If this was a romantic comedy we'd already be arguing about the end" He pointed out with a smile.

"And we'd have popcorn" Sara nodded.

"I always have to pick it out of your hair for you" Greg smiled, allowing nostalgia to wash over him as he thought about all the times he hadn't hesitated to carefully stroke her hair out of her face or watch her as she had fallen asleep in his arms.

"Well if you didn't throw it then it wouldn't be there" She remarked.

"Yeah well maybe I should stop bringing over your favourite cabernet too?" He teased.

Sara playfully slapped his arm, resting her head on his shoulder momentarily.

"You wouldn't dare" She warned "Where would I be without wine?"

"Watching movies with someone else" He shrugged.

"Ahh it wouldn't be the same with anyone else Greg" She smiled, meeting his eye momentarily before whispering "If this were a romantic comedy we'd suddenly realise we were made for each other"

"I've always known we were" He stated honestly "If this were a romantic comedy I'd get the girl" He cooed, his face lingering beside her ear, his breath whispering over her neck making goose bumps cross her skin.

"Maybe you do" She breathed, the words disappearing in the air like vapour.

She shivered as his hand rested lightly on her waist. The air around them seemed to electrify as anticipation filled her body. Greg tilted his head, meeting her eye as though seeking permission before he pressed his lips on hers. His touch was incredibly soft, like the wings of a butterfly caressing her lips as she pressed her eyes closed and sunk into his embrace. He was hesitant; she could feel the blood coursing though his veins as her hands rested on his shoulders.

She could sense the tremble in his hands and the nervous energy in his kiss as they surrendered to each other. Their bodies succumbed to the tension that had formed the basis of their relationship for so long and Sara knew there was no turning back.

She either accepted everything Greg had to offer, and gave all of herself to him or she walked away and they both knew she was incapable of leaving him. Greg was her addiction, her drug, even when everything in her life had appeared to be perfect she had craved his company and longed for his ridiculous jokes and awkward smiles. They were always meant to end up together, she had just taken a little longer to realise this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello there everyone, DearSweetPapercut here again, hope you've enjoyed this story- this chapter was most certainly a blast to write- hope you all enjoy it- please review, let us know what you think! **

The smell of coffee was overwhelming as the glass doors opened, the strange mix of the cool air outdoors with the thick atmosphere inside. Sara and Greg found themselves sitting down at the only empty booth in the cafe attempting to ignore the early morning hordes of people piling in for their caffeine fix. The day light seemed to slowly settle in the cloudy skies stretching out over Las Vegas as the non fuelled night light became a haze.

Greg nervously peered at Sara as she kept her eyes focused on the view out of the window a sleepy smile tugging at her lips. Without thinking he placed his hand on hers, trying to get her attention, the contact burning her skin slightly as she turned to face him.

"What can I get you?" A waitress broke their moment of silence. Sara found herself taking a sigh of relief that did not go unnoticed by Greg as he tried to puzzle together what was happening between them.

"Can I get maple syrup pancakes and a cup of coffee please" She replied with a smile turning her attention back to the window.

"I'll have the same" Greg shrugged pulling his hand away, leaning back in his chair observing her with as much scrutiny as he could. She didn't look unhappy. But there was something wrong, he could sense it.

"So... last night..." She began talking, her voice so quiet he could barely hear her. And if he was honest it surprised him that she had even considered starting this conversation. "Last night was great..." She turned to look at him with a small smile, and then it struck him, she looked embarrassed.

"Yeah...It was..." Greg couldn't help but smile at her, trying not to look too pleased with the way that the previous evening's events had unfolded.

"Look...I...I want you know that last night meant a lot to me..." Sara leant forwards across the table and Greg couldn't help but follow suit. She could smell the musky scent of his cologne and wisps of the cigarettes he'd had that morning. "I think we're pretty good together..."

"I agree..." He couldn't help but smirk, catching Sara's eye with a glint of emotion that he couldn't hide.

"Maybe it doesn't have to be a one night thing..." She said after rolling at her at him, not wanting to giving away just much she had enjoyed their entanglement. If she was honest, he had taken her by surprise; she'd expected him to be as shy as he was in everyday life.

"I'd like that...if it's what you want...obviously..." He stumbled over his words slightly realising he hadn't anticipated this- he had been waiting for her to shoot him down, to tell him that it was simply just a mistake.

"It is...it really is. I think I forgot what it was like to be...really there... you know?" It amazed her how one night had changed everything. She had never imagined that an experience could shake the foundations of everything she had believed in such a way.

"What do you mean? Are you sure?" He looked at her slightly taken aback by her confession.

"I've never been surer of anything before in my life... let's give it a go... lets... see what happens." Sara smiled softly at him, tracing patters on his hand.

"You and me...together..." Greg found himself feeling breathless as he tried to take in everything that was happening.

"Maybe we should... keep it between us for a while... just until everything with Grissom is sorted?" She muttered.

"I understand... We should probably wait until we... you know... again..." He averted his gaze.

"It could take a while to get everything finalised..." Sara thought out loud.

"Do you want to?" Greg found himself asking as he studied the look in her eyes trying to piece together how everything would go.

"Get divorced? Or go to bed?" She smirked.

"I'm sorry... It was great...better than great in fact... but I don't want to be doing anything behind anyone's back... and it's not... all about sex... I just want to be with you... and if it'd feel... more right... when everything's said and done... when you're sure... then I can wait..." He laughed nervously.

"You're amazing. Do you know that? But I'm fine. Trust me, my marriage was over long before we both admitted it. So, I am sure... I promise. I just think that... Brass and Nick... and Hodges will be less sure. That's all." She rolled her eyes again.

"I love you Sara...and I just want to make you happy"

"You already do." She smiled softly, holding his hand tighter as she leaned closer. "Kiss me" Greg nervously glanced around at the people surrounding them in the cafe before catching her eye again. Without a word Greg leant in pressing his lips against Sara's, kissing her softly, he could feel her smile against his lips a shiver swimming down his spine.

It was the sound of someone clearing their throat nearby that finally forced them apart; Sara coyly glanced up at the waitress as she placed their orders down on the table. She couldn't help but laugh slightly as the woman walked away once again leaving them on their own.

"I should probably get going..." Greg sighed, pushing his empty plate away from him. "I'll drop you off at home first..."

"I'm a big girl Greg...I can take a cab...or the bus..." She raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'd feel better knowing...that you'd got there..." He stated with a shrug not wanting to pretend there was any other reason.

"Okay..." Sara eventually nodded. "Let's go"

As they walked out, she tangled her fingers through Greg's pulling him close as they made their way to the car not bothering to look at the people around them. The drive back was a short one but as Greg watched her go inside he knew that it was better knowing than not.

Sara took a deep breath as she made her way through the front door throwing her handbag onto the sofa as she made her way towards the kitchen. A knock came at the door and with a small sigh Sara made her way towards it throwing it open without a second though.

Her heart stopped in her chest as she saw who was standing on the other side the fatal mistake she'd made sinking it. Sara tried to close the door but it was too late Basderic had already gotten a foot in, his body in the way and as hard as she tried she wasn't strong enough to fight him back.

Before she could react he had her backed against the wall, his hands firmly pinning her wrists against the cool brickwork. His clear blue eyes caught her gaze as she attempted to act defiant, her breathing catching in her chest.

"You know why I'm here Sara" He muttered to her. She could feel his breath hit her cheek, the smell of his skin, the feeling of his gaze shifting across her body.

Basderic dragged her towards the kitchen, his hand in a vice like grip around her wrist, with little regard to whether the rest of her body followed. She found her feet trying to catch up as he moved without bothering to look back.

"Sit down" His voice was calm. In silence Sara sat herself facing him while paced her back leaning against the breakfast bar, he picked out a carving knife watching the way it glinted in the light.

"Please..." She whimpered as he stilled.

"I'm not going to hurt you...Not unless I have to..." he said softly turning to face her. "I just want to talk...is that okay?"

"Yes...that's fine..." Sara tried to keep calm, taking a deep breath not wanting to annoying him, or force him to make any rash decisions.

"How could you Sara? How could do this to me?" He asked as if helpless. "I love you...and you're messing around with... him"

"I'm sorry" She realised playing into his fantasy was probably a bad idea but she realised she didn't know what else would keep her alive.

"Do you love him?"

"I...I don't know..." Telling the truth wouldn't get her anywhere she knew that.

"Then why...why would you sleep with him?" He pressed his free hand against his head trying to unravel what they were talking about.

"It was a mistake" Sara shook her head.

"He...He was all over you...He's not allowed to be all over you..." He said firmly.

"I...I won't do it again..." She needed to call Greg, anyone, to help. Her phone was burning inside her pocket but she knew there would be no way she could call without him noticing.

"You're not cheap- you're not like those other women on the streets." He seemed to be trying to rationalising. "But it's wrong to lead men on like that..."

"I'm sorry" Her eyes focused on the knife as he started pacing again.

"Call him" Basderic announced turning to look at her. "Call him, tell him to come here, we can end this once and for all"

Sara pulled her phone out of her pocket, scrolling to Greg's name, her hand trembling as she listened to the dial tones, muttering under her breath for him to pick up. She found herself locking eyes with Basderic as he stood less than an arm's length from her.

"Sanders" Greg answered the phone with a sleepy voice.

"Greg...You need to come home..." She whispered into the phone, her attempts at keeping an even tone failing.

"I'll be right there"

"And now we wait..." Basderic announced with a sickening smile. "Can I get you anything?"

"No" She shook her head, resting her hands on her knees, taking a deep breath.

The time seemed to pass in painful silence as Basderic remained with his feet firmly planted on the floor not moving an inch until the sound of key's in the lock filled the house. Footsteps made their way down the hall.

"Sara...Sara where are you?" Greg's voice called out.

"We're in here" Basderic shouted out; panic slowly swarming Greg's body as he made his way together the kitchen his hand firmly on his side arm.

"Sara, go into the living room" He instructed his eyes on Basderic. "Call Brass"

"No...I want Sara to stay here..." He spoke calmly. "Sara, tell him, tell him it's over- that you don't love him"

Greg pulled his gun out of his holster, turning his body to firmly face Sara. "Go" He whispered to her kissing her on the lips breathlessly. Sara cast her eyes towards Basderic, to the way anger flared up in his icy blue gaze and without a word she turned to move towards the door, frantically dialling Brass's number.

He turned his body against the gun firmly pointed at Basderic, his jaw clenched as he attempted to assess the situation. The other man lunged at Greg; the knife flying in the air between them their arms entangled their grips firmly gripping their weapons.

"We need back up- Greg's apartment-"Sara began but the sound of things tumbling to the ground stopping her dead. The phone fell to the floor as she scampered finding Greg's spare in the drawer in the coffee table, pulling back the slide Sara made her way to the kitchen.

Greg was on the floor, Basderic pinning him down, the knife pressed firmly against his neck as his gun layout of reach. The slightest motion of Basderic's hand triggering a response, Sara found herself standing shocked by the fact she had fired the shot. The bullet impacted his skull, his body becoming stiff before finally collapsing onto the ground beside Greg.

"Greg..." Sara clambered onto the floor beside him, ignoring the shards of glass from the things that had been knocked off the counter. Greg dragged himself into a sitting position, taking a deep breath pulling Sara into an embrace wrapping his arms firmly around her as she shook against his body.

"It's over..." He whispered into her hair as she buried her face into his neck. "It's over..."

**The End **


End file.
